The President of the Portuguese Federation of padel, Ricardo Oliveira, was very happy after the victory for his team against Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
It took us ten years to build a team, and today we can say that we have a team! Even if there are only two players on the track, there are 20 of them all fighting together.
When we started ten years ago, any Spanish player would come to Portugal and put 6/0 6/0 on us without even taking off their tracksuit.
In 2013, we started the “FPP project” and today I can say that it works. It will take us another eight years before we are able to fight with Argentina and Spain. Maybe not to win, but to fight with these nations!
Visibly moved by the victory, Ricardo is proud of the Lusitano players: “Today we have taken a new step. The players deserve it because despite not being helped, they have given their all since qualifying in London. This victory, no one can take it away from them!"
For their return to competition, the Portuguese men and women had a great World Cup, finishing respectively in 4th and 5th place! A good omen for the next deadlines!